SINGAPORE : Taoist priest Master Wei Yi, just 25 years old, is using his fluency in English to make his religion more accessible to others.

Recently, he took 22 Catholics on a guided tour of San Qing Gong temple, a new experience for about half the group.

Master Wei Yi is administrator of the temple as well as secretary general of the Taoist Federation Youth Group and represents Taoism in the Inter-Religious Organization of Singapore.

Sister Theresa Seow, one of three Canossian nuns on the tour, said that previously there had been little or no interaction between Catholics and Taoists in Singapore, mainly because of the language barrier.

Many practicing Taoists speak Mandarin Chinese or a Chinese dialect, rather than English, the predominant language among Catholics.

The nun noted that there is a course on religions in the major seminary, but the seminary had been unable to find an English-speaking Taoist priest to teach a module on Taoism. So this subject had often been dropped from the syllabus.

The visit to San Qing Gong Taoist Temple was organized by the Archdiocesan Council for Inter-Religious and Ecumenical Dialogue (IRED) which has organized tours of a Hindu temple and a mosque.

During the tour, Master Wei Yi explained the principles of Taoism, in which there are two kinds of deities.

The first are human beings who, in their lifetimes, learnt to follow the Dao (the Way) and became enlightened, while the second kind exist in nature, such as mountains, rivers and trees.

While Taoists honor their deities, it is the virtues they impart that are most valued, said Master Wei Yi.

Taoism comprises both religious and philosophical aspects. The religious is composed of ceremonies, activities and rituals used to worship the heavens and the earth. The philosophical is made up of the thinking and ideas of eminent Taoist philosophers, and its purpose is to help the believer to achieve a state of purity and tranquility, said Master Wei Yi.

In Singapore, Taoism tends to emphasize the religious aspect, he said.

Members of the Catholic group said the visit had increased their insights into the religion. Patrick Loo, 37, said he discovered that Taoism "teaches people to do good."

"I've come to the conclusion that all religions spring from the same source, even if they have different religious practices. If we have the patience, are intellectually capable, and are broadminded, we would come to the same conclusion," he said.

Sister Seow also noted that a number of festivals in Singapore, such as the Lunar New Year, the Mid-Autumn Festival, and the Dumpling Festival, have their origins in Taoism.

Some of these are celebrated in Catholic churches, but given Christian meanings. While Chinese people exchange oranges, which symbolize prosperity, during the Lunar New Year, priests distribute blessed oranges to parishioners during the festival as a symbol of God's goodness.

IRED plans a visit to the Singapore Buddhist lodge on Nov. 19 as part of its interreligious education program for Catholics.

Courtesy : UCAN